2 Indian liquor dealers sentenced to jail, flogging in Saudi Arabia

Two Indian nationals have been sentenced to one year in prison each and flogging for manufacturing and selling liquor in Saudi Arabia where alcohol is strictly prohibited.

A court in Saudi Arabia also ordered the two Indian nationals, who apparently confessed to the illegal manufacture of alcohol, to be deported eventually after their sentence is complete.

According to a report in the Saudi Gazette, the two Indians, who have not been identified, were sentenced to one year in prison, 50 lashes each to be repeated six times with a week in between, and to be deported after serving their sentence.

The case came to Jeddah district court after an undercover operative posing as a customer went to purchase alcohol from one of the accused.

As the accused was handing the liquor, other police officers rushed in and apprehended him, the report said.

He led them to the manufacturing location, where police found his partner with a woman inside, and four full barrels of liquor, the report said.